Long before there was The BeltLine, and long before Memorial Drive was filled with expensive apartments, and long before Cabbagetown homes were as desirable as they are today, there was Agave, a locally owned southwestern restaurant that opened at 242 Boulevard on October 13, 2000.
Agave's founder and owner Jack Sobel took to Facebook late Friday to announce the imminent closure of his neighborhood restaurant. In a genuinely heartfelt message Sobel gets incredibly transparent in explaining what led to the difficult decision to close the restaurant.
"After 25 incredible years of serving our wonderful community, it is with heavy hearts that we announce the upcoming closure of our family-owned restaurant on January 31st, 2026 due to the current economic climate and unsustainable conditions," the statement reads.
The restaurant will accept all outstanding gift cards until their closure and has started a GoFundMe campaign to help their employees with a soft landing as they seek new employment.
(As of late morning Saturday the campaign had already raised $900 of their ambitious $50,000 goal.)
"This decision was not made lightly, but as our family looks toward a new chapter, we find it is time to say goodbye. From the bottom of our hearts, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support, laughter-filled dinners, and the privilege of being part of your celebrations and everyday moments for a quarter of a century. You have been more than customers; you have become an extended part of our family, and we will forever cherish the memories made within these walls. Thank you for the honor of serving you at the original and first Agave in the country," the statement continues
Sobel provides an incredibly detailed and honest account account of what transpired in recent years to lead to the closure.
"After managing and operating multiple restaurants in Atlanta, I opened my dream in Cabbagetown on October 13th, 2000 in the heart of Atlanta in order to bring a taste of my hometown (Albuquerque, NM) to Georgia. I completely renovated the historic Cotton Mill General store and built out two additional dining rooms along the way. We quickly became one of the highest rated restaurants in Atlanta and known as a pillar and staple in the community as we continuously supported our local neighborhoods and donated to hundreds of charities over the years.
I do take full responsibility for stepping away after decades in the business (due to medical issues and age) and entrusting others to run the restaurant the correct way, having an ownership mentality and treating each guest like a food critic which was our opening mission. I returned in late 2023 to a disaster where the restaurant was basically bankrupt and in deep debt. I could have walked away, but I felt compelled to save the jobs of 32 employees and take back over with the help of my immediate family. I immediately sold my car, my stocks and my son's college fund to put into the business to keep it going. My son, Jacob, volunteered to resign from his job as well as college at Kennesaw State University to bring the restaurant back to it's original glory. He has exceeded our expectations and through his hard work, he became our General Manager. Since this period, I have poured all of our family resources into paying off back debt to accountants, paper and chemical suppliers and food purveyors. We have also had to put well over $100,000 into new equipment and repair deficiencies in regards to the historic building including plumbing and electrical. Also, the astronomical loss of sales due to continuous flooding that the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management can't seem to repair has been staggering.
Just when we started to see the light of day, more bad luck continued to strike as the current economics of a full service restaurant no longer make sense. We are spending thousands more per week on rent, food, liquor, insurance, accounting, utilities and all essentials.
I have not been paid in over two years, our son does not have a college fund and we are out of resources to continue unfortunately. I am proud, however, at how we have been currently operating. We have improved the quality of food and service over the last two years and our reviews have never been better."
Agave is the second longstanding Cabbagetown / Grant Park area restaurant to announce its imminent closure following news earlier Friday that Daddy D'z BBQ Joynt, a landmark at 264 Memorial Drive since 1993, is also closing. The no frills barbecue eatery, which changed owners in 2017, is slated to close December 31 after the owner of its building decided to sell.
Do you plan to visit Agave and or Daddy D'z one last time (or two) before they close in the coming weeks? What is your favorite area restaurant? What is your favorite intown Atlanta neighborhood for food?
Please share your thoughts below
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